Disinfecting or sanitizing of hard surfaces, in the home, commercial and industrial settings, are necessary practices in order to promote and maintain good health. This is particularly true for the beverage, dairy, and food industries, in food packaging and preparation environments, and in service businesses. Failure to disinfect or sanitize equipment and other surfaces of contaminants can result in the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. Routine disinfection or sanitation is necessary to reduce microbial populations in order to protect consumers from potential health hazards associated with pathogenic microorganisms or toxins produced by such microorganisms.
Many existing antimicrobial compositions have drawbacks or undesirable properties that limit the ease of manufacture and/or use of the compositions. These include issues with availability and toxicity of ingredients, ease of use, efficacy, or having negative impacts on the items being treated, the individuals using the compositions, or on the environment. Examples of purported negative attributes or disadvantages of commonly used antimicrobial compositions are described in U.S. Pat. Appl. Publ. No. US20090074881 (2009). New antimicrobial compositions should comply with the increasing demand for safer, more environmentally friendly compositions.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for antimicrobial compositions that exhibit improved stability, effective antimicrobial activity, and that also are eco-friendly or “green.” The specific requirements for such compositions vary according to the intended application (e.g., disinfecting, sanitizing, sterilizing, etc.) and the governmental public health requirements associated with the intended application. Compositions having greater stability and antimicrobial activity while being environmentally friendly could help meet a substantial public health need, and one that is not adequately addressed by current commonly-used antimicrobial compositions.